The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1887-04-23

But more still keep the whiteness of the
snow.
Robert Burns Wilson, in Horper's Magazine
A CYCLE OF CATHAY.
How a Dissatisfied Man Learned That in
Contentment Only Is Found Bliss.
Godliness with contentment is great gain. Fo4
we brought nothing into the world, and it is
certain we can carry nothing OUT Timothy,
6, 81.
Once on time, at period so remote
that the learned now scarcely dare to al
lude to it, there lived in the Celestial En-
pire poor little man whose daily calling
was to break pebbles ON the high road.
In all weathers and at all seasons of the
year, in snow and rain, cloud or shine, he
painfully toiled to earn his livelihood
along some Beaten track, half dead with
fatigue, and fully three-quarters dead with
hunger; so that his life was load of
misery, and the poor fellow far from salts
fed with his hard and hapless lot.
s'Ah!" said he, ''if could only be rich
enough some day to have my sleep out one
fine morning, and to eat and drink my fill,
wouldn't be thankful to Heaven for such
a privilege! There are folks, I am told, who
are so lucky as to be contented with their
condition and to enjoy life Stretched on
thick mating in front Of my door, and
with soft silk clothes upon my back,
should take my siesta, and have my serv-
ant wake me every quarter of an hour to
remind me that had nothing whatever to
do, and that might go to sleep again with,
out any fear.''
IAN angel who passed by the way, hearo
these words and smiled.
ssYour wish shall be gratified! ~ whis-
the celestial being.
AS the angel said this, the little man
found himself in front Of a splendid man.
sion, which he could call his own, stretched
at full length on thick mating before the
door, and softly swaddled in costly silk
raiment Nor was he any longer hungry,
thirsty or tired. All of which, of course,
seemed to him as pleasing as it was sur
prising
He had, however, scarcely enjoyed these
unknown delights for half hour, when
the Hwangti came along that way.
The Hwangti, we may here state, is no
less parsonage than the Emperor of
China, and, in those days especially, the
Emperor OF China was the most pow
erful Of Eastern potentates.
The Hwangti was travelling for pleasure,
preceded by scouts and escorted by horse
men, all of whom were more gorgeously
covered with braid and embroidery than
the Sultan of Turkey; he was escorted by
famous warriors, minstrels and musicians
and accompanied by the handsomest wom-
en- in the world, who dozed in silver tur-
rets hoisted on the backs of white ele-
plants.
The Hwangti reposed on a bed Of down,
within a golden palanquin, which was
thickly studded with precious stones His
Prime Minister had the unique honor of
holding :'5ove his sovereign's head large
parasol, around which chimed quantity
of small silver bells.
The little man who formerly broke stones
on the high road, but who has since grown
rich, now gazed with envious eye on the
imperial pageant.
s'Of what good is my present state?" said
he. Am much happier because I have a
few pleasures which Hacked in other days?
All, that I were the Hwangtii I might
then journey along the highway in grand
equipage. sleep in a golden palanquin
adorned with gems, followed by my Prime
Minister and shaded by the broad tintin-
nabular parasol, while my second minister
would be usefully employed in cooling my
brow with fan of peacock's feathers.
All me, what would not give to be the
Hwangtip'
''You are the Hwangtip' whispered the
angel.
At the same instant the little man found
himself recling in golden palanquin stud
ded all over with precious stones, sur
rounded by his ministers, his warriors, his
women and his slaves, who said to him in
Chinese:
ttHwangti thou art loftier than the sun
at his MONDAY height! Whatever the
mind of man can conceive thou canst exc
cutel Even justice is subordinate to thy
will, and the gods in trembling await thy
~
The little man, when he heard these
words, said to himself:
ssThese people understand me thoroughly:
indeed they do"
Now the sun, which had been very hot
for some days past, scorched the whole
country round. The road was dusty and
the glare affected the eyes of the newly
created Hwangti. So turning to his Prime
Minister who bore the tintinnabular par
asol, he said:
"Pray, warn the sun that am incom-
NODDED by his rays. Such familiaritaes on
his part are displeasing to me: Tell him
that the mighty Emperor of. China author
ICES him to withdraw. Cop
The Prime Minister thereupon handed
the tintinnabular parasol to a Mandarin
and walked away.
He was not long gone, however, and re-
turned with chop-fallen countenance
.Great Emperor" said he, Light Of the
world, sovereign among gods and men! in-
credible as it may seem, the sun pretends
not to understand my words, and continues
to scorch the road
.1et him be chas isedl''